To Kill a MockingBoff
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Simulator(#11997Rnt) - Darkmount ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ As awe-inspiring as the walls and tower of Darkmount are, and how well they instill the sense of Decepticon militarism and industry, they are far from the only signs, if the most obvious. Within the tower on the 99th floor is one room that can be anywhere and anyone it wants to be. Cavernously large and covered walls, ceiling, and floor in reflective metal tiles, the simulator is an ideal training ground for weapons, recruits, or veterans looking to hone their skills. Players: Blast Off Objects: Training Drone Obvious exits: Out leads to Atrium. Sixshot arrives from the Atrium. Sixshot has arrived. The training room is an immense place, filled with various simulated environments and scenarios that the recruits and veterans alike can utilize in their attempts to better themselves and their service to the Empire. It is on the northern end of that immense, cavernous training room that Airlift is this day, the medic is spending much time as he often does in the training room, attempting to perfect his new combat style, attempting to find a synthesis between the physical power and the ranged firepower, the most effective use of his many arms and weapons. He deploys some incredibly powerful weaponry to the battlefield, as well as the ferocity of the Unicronian form he was reformatted into. The sheer ferocity of his training is enough to perhaps draw attention, three separate drones spinning around him, fighting and blasting away at the Reaver as he dances between them. His movements have become more gracefully acrobatic with the passing of time, but despite the fact that his hands, feet and scythe tend to find their marks more often than not, it seems that the Reaver is having a hard time shooting while on the move in the more acrobatic fighting style. He's an excellent aim, no sniper certainly but no slouch, under normal circumstances. As the Unicronian flips and dodges between the drones though, he's forced to stop and gain his aim each time, delays of movement which cost him dearly, allowing the drones to land blows that would not land if he were continuing without interruption. It's certainly an area with room for improvement. Harbinger is sleeping in the corner.. since the start of things.. and finally comes out of a rest cycle and streches.. "Bleh... bad dreams." Blast Off enters the room again, after a brief break to attend to other business. He was just in there, helping Sixshot test some things out... and discovering that there was at least one other mech with an appreciation for *class* and good taste around. The Combaticon strides in, noting that Airlift has taken up residence since he left. He stops and watches the other mech's techniques. He notes Airlift's difficulties aiming. Well, he's here anyway, and it's always good to stay on a medic's *good side*... especially when you're a glass cannon. "I do believe you were desiring of some pointers, Airlift?" He offers... then glances over at Harbinger, who has reappeared. "What? Did you dream your data got corrupted?" Harbinger streches out and yawns before she gives her impish grin at Blast Off, "No, Sir.. dreamed your files were not the definition of clusterslag." The Reaver had just launched into the air, snapping a devastating kick at the head of one of the drones, a maneuver that the Unicronian seems to be becoming quite good at. He's shattered much of Bludgeon's form with those devastating kicks on multiple occassions, nearly taken Arcee's head clean off at the start of the battle in Vegas, and in this instance connects with resounding impact that seems to reverberate down through the drone, causing it to reset and retreat even as Airlift is spinning through the followthrough, landing on his crouched feet and fending off the other two drones. The interruption though causes the drones AI to back off, allowing Airlift a pause. "Ah..Blast Off.." he muses as he nods politely, "I'm not certain if you will be able to provide any pointers. I know you are an extremely skilled sniper, however it is not a carefully planned ranged attack I am looking for assistance with.." he explains as he pulls that set of pistols he's been utilizing of late from subspace. "I need to learn to acquire targets and fire more rapidly, so that I am not being forced to delay my evasion in order to land an effective shot. I believe some refer to it as 'shooting from the hip' as it were..firing without aiming, yet while remaining accurate." Striding in to the room again Sixshot's just regained composure. Some of Blast Off's anecdotes about some of the incompetents he's worked with meant the Sixchanger had to take a moment before he actually split his sides laughing. Nodding to Airlift, who's on fine form he take a place at the back to observe the current goings on. You receive a radio message from Harbinger: You trying to impress them, Sir? You send a radio message to Harbinger: Impress who? You receive a radio message from Harbinger: Blast Off, Sir.. was told that if you get aid in targeting a few time, that systems tend to do better on their own later on. Was going to offer assistance a few times if you would like it to try. You send a radio message to Harbinger: Ah, no, I have no need to impress Blast Off. He is a gifted marksman though, and in my attempts to better myself I am hoping he might have advice that could be useful to my goals. You receive a radio message from Harbinger: As you wish. You send a radio message to Harbinger: I'm glad for any advice you might have though, I understand that marksmanship and targetting acquisition is part of the function to which Soundwave designed you. Blast Off raises an optic ridge at Airlift. "...Suit yourself, but I do have to wonder if you've ever actually *watched* me on the battlefield? There is no one more skilled at raining down destruction on moving targets with pinpoint accuracy while evading countless shots whizzing past my head at every astro-second. You haven't exactly seen me just standing still and letting my /paint dry/ while I shoot, right?" Pl-leeeazze Airlift. Meanwhile, he gives Harbinger a deadpan look. "I fail to see why you have the obsession on *my* files, anyway. Surely you have other things to amuse yourself with?" There's a sense of growing annoyance there. "I am certain you must have learned, or jumped to conclusions, everything that might be of any use to you by now..." He also notes Sixshot's entrance and nods to him. The corners of Airlift's mouth twitch upwards in apparent amusement as the Reaver settles away from the combat area and shrugs, "I think you misunderstand just what I meant Blast Off. I have no doubts of your ability to acquire targets at speed, or I would not have asked for your assistance at any point. However, you have a certain...aversion...to engaging in melee battle situations. It's in that direction that my goals lie, synthesizing my melee and ranged abilities into a cohesive application of weapons." He holds out one of the pistols to Blast Off, "This is my working design, meant for fast acquisition and poinpoint targetting. The plasma discharges are hypervortexed into encapsulated form before launch, so that when they impact they sprawl outwards with the plasma damage. Unfortunately, my miss ratio is over ten percent at the moment, which is unacceptable. I've worked with Bludgeon and increased my melee skills to where I land blows over 94% of the time. It's now my firing on the move that is lacking, especially when engaged at point blank." "Since you avoid point blank combat, I'm uncertain but hopeful you will be able to assist." Harbinger stays quiet off to the side as she watches. Blast Off watches Airlift explain his situation, a subtle flash of annoyance in his optics as the other Con calls him out regarding his aversion towards getting up close and personal. He says nothing for a moment, simply regarding Airlift cooly and then glancing away with a roll of his shoulders. Then he is back to looking at the Reaver. "I simply prefer the grace and style of aerial combat... there is no point in MY engaging in crude bouts of brute force... if I want to do *that*, I should just gather my teammates and demonstrate force as Bruticus. I've certainly smashed down on many a mech in *that* mode." Not that he doesn't feel that later... ouch. Not that Airlift isn't /exactly/ correct, either... Blast Off just isn't built for up close combat, and he knows it. ...He just doesn't like to admit it. "I am a sniper, not a heavyweight boxer." There's a brief twitch of wing elevons as he looks away, then back again. "However, for demonstration purposes, I could be... persuaded to at least show you a few techniques. I may not prefer up close fisticuffs, but any warrior needs to know how to handle himself in any situation- and how to shoot his enemies in any situation, which I can certainly do." Airlift is fairly accustomed, by now, to dealing with Blast Off and his rather sensitive little quirks. When Blast Off seems to be on the verge of getting a little huffy (also known as - is conscious) he carefully modulates his approach. "Ah, I would be most grateful for any advice you might give me, revered teacher," he says with no hint of mockery to his voice at all, bowing his head ever so slightly in acknowledgement. He then motions to the drones, "Would you prefer to use the drones, or perhaps a live engagement between the two of us to allow for you to demonstrate maneuvers and techniques?" he suggests, "or whatever method of delivery you feel most appropriate to your teaching techniques and combat skills.." Blast Off is indeed host to *many* "sensitive little quirks". But the mech's mind *was* stored in a box for several millions of years... that might give *anyone* quirks. His optic ridge also *quirks* up as Airlift changes his tone, and the shuttleformer studies him a moment, looking for any hint of mockery. People are so hard to read, after all, especially when you're a rather isolated space shuttle. But... Airlift seems to be trying to show respect, and Blast Off *certainly* deserves it! Finally, satisfied, he nods. "Very well." He looks to the drones, then huffs slightly. "I've worked with enough drones today. Besides..." He looks back to Airlift as he brings his ionic blaster out of subspace. "You want to learn how to win against a /real/ opponent with unpredicatble behavior. You won't be fighting many drones out on the battlefield." Then he proceeds to step out onto the combat arena, gesturing for Airlift to meet him there. There's a grin from the Reaver as he eyes Blast Off stepping out onto the training arena centerstage, his optics following the movements of the Combaticon. He then moves to follow out onto the arena floor proper. His pistols are in hand and he carefully stores them in subspace, before he draws his scythe, checks it and then returns it to storage. He then flicks his wings and checks his combat systems, nodding as he settles into place. "I'm ready then, Blast Off.." he says with a little smirk. Then stepping back, he drops down into a guarded stance, taking an en garde position as he eyes the Combaticon and waits. He makes a little 'come on' motion with his hand, allowing the Combaticon to move first, watching carefully, optics recording the action as he waits to see how things progress. Combat: Airlift sets his defense level to Guarded. Blast Off watches him closely, and if the Combaticon is feeling any nerves about "up close and personal combat" (he is) he's not showing it. But just because things are close doesn't mean that he is going to let Airlift win. Close or not, he's still dodgy... and to take advantage of that up and close advantage, first you have to *connect* with him. He waits until the Reaver looks ready, then nods. He stands there, standing straight, looking as if he's about to go into a big speech. "Now. First of all..." He lifts a hand, finger pointed up to begin some oration.... and then suddenly darts right in, running towards Airlift and trying to take him by surprise before leaping directly over his head and lifting his weapon to fire off a shot point blank. "...Never drop your guard!" Combat: Blast Off sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Blast Off strikes Airlift with his Start this off with a bang attack! -3 Combat: That attack has slightly corrupted your Velocity systems! Airlift is almost never off guard, and when Blast Off starts moving he's immediately in motion as well. The Reaver seems to read the movements of the more agile Decepticon quickly, and as Blast off is leaping into the air he tries to thrust towards the position the Decepticon was in, attempting to shoot beneath him and avoid the shot. The problem is he's just plain not fast enough, regardless of what tactics or plans he might employ, avoiding Blast Off's shots is almost a matter of luck for the extremely agile Reaver..Blast Off is just that good. The laser blast scores his back badly, and the shot that would be a mere pittance of damage from any other source does considerably more from the incredibly overcharged weapon systems of the Combaticon. "Nnngh! It is not my guard that is the problem, it is my speed to reinforce that guard. Unfortunately it will be some time before I can do anything about that problem.." he says as he is thrown forward by the blast and rolls, coming up into a crouching position with those plasma pistols he'd been showing before in hand. He opens up with four barrels of plasma blasts, peppering the air in which Blast Off is flying with as many of those plasma explosive rounds as he can, attempting to draw down to a targetting solution. Combat: Airlift strikes Blast Off with his quad plasma rifle roundup attack! -5 Blast Off lands his shots, no surprise there. But Airlift does surprisingly well in response... though Blast Off immediately chalks that up to the fact that he's so close to his opponent it makes it a bit more difficult to dodge. The shots pepper his legs as they reach down to land on the ground behind the Reaver. It might cause a less nimble mech to stagger or fall, but he keeps pace, gracefully landing and turning to face Airlift again. "Not bad. But yes, I see what you mean. I cannot help you with speed, but perhaps I can give you a few pointers to help decrease processing time between *seeing* an issue needing to be dealt with... and *dealing* with it." He stops, lifting his blaster to point at the sky. "One common error is to overthink your shots. Most mechs spend many wasted astro-seconds thinking about /how/ they aim, and trying to be sure to hold steady, then consciously pulling the trigger after all that has taken place. Whereas someone such as myself need not waste that time... it happens almost instantaneously. It is due to never-ending practice, of course, but also a certain mental and physical discipline. One must get the servo memory, as well as mental memory." He grips his weapon tightly. "And then you can do something like... this!" He whirls in place, losing sight of Airlift, then turning back again and letting his laser shot fly as he keeps spinning until he faces him again. The aiming and firing was instantaneous. Combat: Blast Off strikes Airlift with his Around we go (Laser) attack! -1 Airlift knows the shot is coming, he can simply do nothing about it again. He's not surprised as a lesser mech might be, but he is scored across his chest none-the-less by Blast Off's shot. He's listening to the words the Combaticon is speaking though, and even as he's staggering back he's talking. "I think I may see what you're trying to say..don't stop to aim and then fire, be squeezing towards the triggerpoint as you're drawing the aim, so that you fire at the instant the target is acquired?" he asks. The concept melds with the Reaver's will, and that will sets him into motion. His form acquires speed as he dodges away from the likely point of a secondary incoming shot. As he moves, he's drawing his weapons around towards Blast Off again. This time though, it is no barrage of fire that goes snapping at the Combaticon. Instead those four guns produce a single blast each, fired at Blast Off's center of mass and each snapped off exactly as his weapon sweeps across the optimum firing point, body never ceasing motion. The shots are scattered in a cross pattern, intended to keep him from dodging out of the way by placing them such that each direction he could move puts him still more firmly in the path of another bolt of plasma. Combat: Airlift misses Blast Off with his quad pistol plasma pew pew pew pew attack! -5 Blast Off nods his head. "Exactly. A successful shot hardly needs to *think* about his shot at all. It is simply a part of *who* he is, and something he is so familiar with mentally and physically that it becomes second nature... the weapon is almost an extension of himself. One reason you will still find me in here, practicing..." He adds, "And beginners tend to overthink... and as soon as you start thinking too hard about your shot, you start dealing with shake, and unsteadiness.. or you give your target a chance to move. Of course, safety first... always be sure of your target and what is behind it. But once you know, with practice all you'll need to do is bring up your sights and you'll fire before you even know your target's in your sights. It's just that fast." Then Airlift attempts another manuever, and it's one to be commended... but it is still useless against Blast Off's agility. He spins again, using anti-gravs to lift up and around as he dodges every strike. And yet even as he does so, he fires off another shot at the peak turn of his spin. "Not bad... creative, even. But still stiff. And not enough leading... you must study leading your target... each form and mass accelerates at different speeds, and each opponent requires different measures to ensure that your bullet speeds through the air to meet their form at the exact right moment. In my case, you would point, or lead your weapons' aim, to shoot what would appear to be empty space /far ahead/ of me as I moved, that is, IF I was proceeding in a straight line, which I often do NOT. That's when study of every opponent you can watch comes in handy, helping you anticpate movements and line up your shots to connect." Combat: Blast Off strikes Airlift with his Leading your target attack! -3 Combat: That attack has slightly corrupted your Strength systems! Sixshot has left. Airlift is scored by another shot, this one punching through his left wing but not doing particularly high amounts of damage. Indeed, it is the aggregate damage of all of the small shots that Blast Off is sending his way that is causing the Reaver any problems at all. He hrmphs as he slips backwards from the shot, taking a defensive stance for a moment before saying, "Where the target will be is an easier task to say than to actually aim at.." he muses, "I'm fine with leading Autobot cars and the like, but the more erratic of them and a few of our own simply move too unpredictably for me.." "Unless.." he muses, and leaves himself open to more attacks as he tries to do as Bludgeon has taught him. He's had marginal successes in his own practices, but he's not attempted to actually employ the skills in battle at all, or even live fire training. He concentrates though, centering himself on his own wavelength before attempting to read Blast Off's wavelength, watching how it moves even as he dodges almost automatically, trying to use the rudimentary circuit-su to couple with his Unicronian targetting matrix. His top right arm snaps up suddenly, firing an incredibly fluid shot towards a point not exactly near Blast Off as his two left hands fire on the opposite side in tandem, almost attempting to force the Combaticon to react to one and fly into the other. Combat: Airlift sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Airlift misses Blast Off with his plasma barrage surrounding fire attack! -5 Galvatron has arrived. Sixshot has arrived. Most mechs would probably have fallen to Airlift's two-tiered approach, but Blast off is not most mechs. His renowned (well, he is at least egotistical for a reason) agility comes into play yet again, and he just seems to weave through the air like a snake, avoiding each shot. He's a Combaticon, too, and not easily fooled by an opponent's attempts to lead him into a trap. Having done that, he hovers in mid-air this time, pausing once more to speak. "Again... you are holding onto old ways even while trying to embrace new ones. You appeared to be attempting to center yourself... and that is a very good start. But I wonder, have you considered your ventilation cycles themselves? There is a steady rythm to your own cycles, and a beat to your own circuits. It is this ventilation control that is yet another element in correct shooting techniques. Your fuel pump ebbs and flows, and upon each pump there is the tinest shake. That is not the moment to shoot. Instead, focus inwards, as you were doing... but be sure to pay attention to that ebb and flow, and squeeze off your shot in between those pumps. It's a tiny thing, but tiny things CAN actually matter... especially when you desire perfection." Given that Airlift has been missing several shots now, the Combaticon doesn't move to attack. This time, he simply braces for one. "Now, come at me. I'm moving the instant you do... focus on instinctive aim, try to predict my movements and lead me in time- IF you can.... AND pay attention to your own ventilation cycles and work with your own internal rythms..." Combat: Blast Off sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Blast Off takes extra time to steady himself. Pass Airlift has, before now, been attacking without the benefit of his targetting visor. Indeed, he'd been going almost entirely from instinct. Now though, even as he's in the process of moving through forms that seem startlingly reminiscent of those observed at the martial arts exposition in Japan, his targetting visor snaps down into place. It's not his usual targetting information being pumped through that visor though, but rather an aggregate informational display based upon the readings he's taking through his rudimentary circuit-su focusing. He spares only the faintest of thought to say, "I utilize a continual flow fuel system that does not 'pump'.." in an amused tone. The forms he's moving through seem very similar to the ones he was using to defend against the drones earlier, only now as he moves into certain positions, he snaps off shot after shot towards Blast Off, demanding that the combaticon keep moving to avoid. His shooting is definitely becoming smoother, his hesitation times vanishing almost completely and accuracy seeming to draw down tighter with each shot as he learns to read the information his targetting systems are translating from the reading of the combaticon's wavelength. Finally he kicks off of a simulated rubble outcropping, launching into the air and spinning a full three sixty, arms at ninety degree angles from one another and each snapping off a shot in turn as it orients before he touches down again into an en garde position. Combat: Airlift sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Airlift misses Blast Off with his plasma pistol death blossom attack! -5 Blast Off 's optics narrow as the visor comes down, but then it appears to be used as something other than a targeting array. As Airlift comments on his fuel systems, he gives the Reaver a small, even slightly amused nod. "Well then, you may ignore most of the rest of that last advice. But I would recommend staying aware of how your own internal systems affect your outward performance." And then Airlift is after him again. He notes the Reaver's response times have improved... but they haven't improved enough it seems. Smirking under his faceplate, he still manages to dodge each shot... though they do get closer this time, and one shot *almost* grazes his side. He zips through the air, avoiding everything with a dodge and roll despite Airlift's best efforts. Then shakes his head. "Tsk... closer, yet still not quite enough. Now, I /could/ just stand here and try to make this *easier* for you..." His tone carries a hint of mockery, which then ends as he continues on, more serious now. "But I will not insult your intelligence or skill in such a manner. YOU must simply up your game. I know you are capable... it's just a question of how many mistakes you must make before you learn enough to succeed... Now, let's see how you do with this...." He suddenly leaps towards Airlift again, spinning around as he brings his weapon to fire on the 'Con with his feet up in the air and his face down below, almost near Airlift's level... but then, instead of shooting- he accelerates using a sudden burst of his anti-gravs to punch right into Airlift! It won't do much damage, of course, but that's not the point here, right? Can Airlift respond to a sudden change in tactics in time? Combat: Blast Off strikes Airlift with his I only do this because I'm safe in the training room (Punch) attack! Sixshot has left. Sixshot heads back to OOC-Land. To say that it won't do much damage is an overstatement, in fact, Airlift's armored form is so solid that it is more likely that Blast Off would injure himself punching Airlift than he would ever manage significant damage to the Reaver. No, it's simply not an effective tactic, and for a moment surprise registers across Airlift's face beneath that combat visor, visible to the Combaticon with how close they are to one another. Airlift is in motion though, dodging and weaving through his forms. "I told you before Blast Off..that I was attempting to synthesize a combat style that combined my melee and ranged abilities more effectively, did I not? You should not count on your speed when you have closed so close to me..here, I have the advantage, even if you are still faster." And as he's saying so those pistols in his hands spin around, until he's gripping the barrels instead and the butts crackle to life, plasma charges flaring on them as he starts to snap and crack swings at Blast Off from all four of the strange energized clubs. Combat: Airlift misses Blast Off with his plasma charged pistol butts attack! -3 Harbinger leans back a bit as she watches the fight, her legs kicking the air fom her seat.. her optics flaring just a bit as she starts watching Blast Off's movements more closely. Combat: Harbinger takes extra time to aim her next attack. Combat: Harbinger sets her defense level to Fearless. Harbinger watches... waits... and her rifle snaps down over her shoulder, and a flare of energy as she sends a shot flying at Blast Off... while also knocking her back over the cabinet and behind it, stunning herself in the process. Combat: Harbinger misses Blast Off with her WIFF CITY! attack! Harbinger raises a hand weakly from behind the cabinet.. "Sorry... sneezed and rifle went off... my bad!" Blast Off does indeed not like getting this close, but he is actually trying to make a point here... and Airlift better appreciate it!! The Combaticon lands a (weak) hit, but then despite Airlift's assertions, he still manages to dodge the close-range hits before landing again to tilt his head at the Reaver. "You have the advantage, perhaps... but there are no assurances. And that is what I would caution against... be prepared for any possibility.. even that your opponent who should not be able to best you in any way, shape, or form.... can sometimes do so anyway. Never drop your guard, as I stated in the beginning. That will help you ag..." Suddenly a shot rings out from a certain tape, and it just whizzes past his head. Blast Off turns to look at Harbinger sharply. "You!" He takes a step towards her, trigger finger twitching a moment before he stops and relaxes."Sneezed... right." Someday, he decides, he's going to "sneeze" in her direction... though... hmm... would Soundwave buy that? Hmm. Maybe not. Then with another sharp turn, he faces Airlift again. "Anyway... as I was saying, keep your guard up. But one last thing, Airlift. The final piece of the sharpshooter's puzzle. You almost... become one with your weapon. With enough practice, the weapon becomes an extension of you. I chose my ionic blaster after careful deliberation, because it and I clicked together. Do your weapons work the same way for you? When you hold that weight in your hands, it should feel right. When you shoot, you almost "become" the bullet... you mentally travel along with your shot, and almost "feel" the impact on your opponent itself. My mind travels the pathway of my shot even before my laserfire does." He points up to his head. "Ultimately, after all the physical practice, it becomes a mental exercise." Then he stands, again, and holds his hands out on either side. "Now. Again. Come at me. I shall dodge. This time you must travel with your shot- merge your intention into your action and become a singular, focused, fluid war machine." Combat: Blast Off takes extra time to steady himself. Pass Harbinger 's hand appears above the cabinet for a second, and gives a gesture she saw on one of those human shows in Blast Off's direction before she collapses back unconcious. The sound of the shot ringing out from another direction causes Airlift to instantly correct, out of the path of that projectile, but he also curiously halts his assault. He could easily capitalize upon the moment when Blast Off is distracted by Harbinger's hyjinx, but he does not. No, he drops into an en garde position. Blast Off is getting a bit preachy, and indeed Airlift is beginning to become a little frustrated by the fact that he can't score a hit. He's fought Blast Off before, and knows he's capable of the feat..indeed..he'd done quite well against Blast Off in that previous outting. It seems though that the process of attempting to tune all of his systems to work in full congress to one another has delayed his reaction times in ways he had not yet realized. As Blast Off is speaking this time, the Reaver tunes him out, though he certainly appears to be concentrating hard upon every word that the combaticon spekas. Indeed though, his gaze has turned inward once again, and he's searching for that inner harmonic that he had discovered before, that remnant of the Styx Code within his core, forever a part of him but nevermore ascendant upon his psyche, thanks to his training with Bludgeon. He finds it..and feels the attunement as he melds his own harmonic with that of the Unicronian monster, letting two become one, his optics closed. When they open again, there's a strange quality to his optics..they glow their usual crimson hue, but the color seems strangely bruised, the blacklight seeping in the edges and mingling, melding together to become a new color. Then almost before Blast Off can finish speaking, he launches into movement again, and his assault seems...more. He moves fluidly as he slashes with those pistol butts, leaping into a flipping kick before firing mid flip towards Blast Off with all four barrels. As he comes down towards landing, he throws the pistols aside all at once, the guns flinging into subspace as he draws his energy scythe from subspace instead without ever stopping that fluid motion. His swings it arching close to the ground, swiping up towards Blast Off in a glistening arch of energy, trying to slice the Combaticon out of his pulpit. Combat: Airlift sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Airlift strikes Blast Off with his Unicronian assault attack! Blast Off does notice the change in Airlift's optic color, and it brings him pause... momentarily. Then he's back to his speech, but before he finishes properly... the Reaver is coming at him again. At first he comes with pistols packing... and Blast Off dodges them- yet again. He scoffs, "Come now, Airlift, this is getting tediu-" But he is interrupted yet again, as Airlift isn't quite finished. As the Combaticon keeps darting back, one twist here and one dodge there... the other mech brings out a sword, and at this close range as Blast Off's foot lands against another leap backwards... Airlift's upward slice rings true, and a virtual cascade of energon spurts out of the fresh cut wound. "Aiigh!" He staggers back now, clutching his side, then coming to a stop. He stares down at the cut, then back up to Airlift... and then straightens up, his weapon hanging to his side. "There. I *knew* you had it in you... Your optics changed color. Something seemed to finally.. click in there. I told you it was ultimately mental..." He gives Airlift a nod. "I do believe this lesson is over. ...Unless you want to continue?" Far be it for a Combaticon to refuse combat.... When Airlift lands, his optics don't shift back to their previous color, even as his targetting visor retracts. He gives the scythe a little flick, the movement one might make to shake the blood off of a blade, despite the fact that the blade is crackling energy and would have vaporized any energon if this weren't a simulation. He then releases the thing back into subspace as he nods slightly to Blast Off, "That won't be necessary Blast Off..I believe I have found the balance that I was seeking.." he says in satisfaction. "I thank you for your time..perhaps, once I have contemplated what I have found..we might spar again in earnest. I think that with me not distracted by introspection, and you not distracted by examination, it would be quite an opportunity to truly stretch our systems..as it were.." he seems undiminished in his opinion of his abilities, despite poor performance this round, attributing it to his own distraction with his studies.